Katherine Knowles

8th July 2006

12:00 AM — The 19th of July will see anti-death penalty vigils being held all over the world to commemorate the public hanging in Iran of two gay men.Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni were accused of raping a 13 year old boy, though several human right's groups believed that this charge was invented in order to enable the authorities in Mashhad to serve a death penalty on the men who admitted to having gay sex, and denied the rape charge.

12:00 AM — The Commission for Gender Equality has ruled in favour of allowing gay guest houses on the Western Cape to exclude heterosexual couples if they would prefer to do so.Previously excluding straight guests had been seen as a form of discrimination, and was not allowed by law.Cape Town has become a popular gay holiday destination, with the attractions of beautiful beaches, lively nightlife and a thriving music scene.

12:00 AM — Gay Prom UK will hit London next weekend for an evening of dressing up and getting down on the dance floor for gay 16 - 19 year olds.Based on successful events run in Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles, the organisers hope to send a positive message to gay teens struggling to come to terms with their sexuality that it's perfectly normal to be gay.

12:00 AM — As the Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the Family Conference in Valencia continues, marriages between gay couples are continuing with joy and enthusiasm.Both Jose Francisco Lamo and Luisa Notario married their long term partners in civil ceremonies in the city, as the Pope's visit and anti-gay marriage statements continue.

12:00 AM — London Zoo in Regents Park is throwing a party to encourage debate on homosexuality in the animal kingdom. The event, Gay Sunday, is expected to attract hundreds of gay visitors, who will be entertained by drag queens and fire eaters, as they explore the zoo and meet some of the most endangered animals on the planet.Cocktails will be served in a specially built VIP terrace bar, to the accompaniment of jazz classics and the growls, squeaks, hisses and chirrups of the six hundred and fifty animal, reptile and bird species who make the zoo their home.

12:00 AM — Another day, another addition to the sea of protest surrounding WorldPride's decision to hold this year's event in the city of Jerusalem.Currently an online petition opposing the event is hovering around the 100,000 signature mark. It's organisers are confident that this target will soon be reached.

7th July 2006

12:00 AM — Testifying in a $1.5 million breach of contract suit filed by his former video producer, Marc Schaffel, Jackson said that discovering that Schaffel had directed a gay porn film had caused him to break their professional relationship.In a pre-recorded sworn testimony, the Santa Monica Superior court heard the singer's reaction to this discovery."I was shocked by what I saw", he said.

12:00 AM — The Israeli online news website, YNet, is claiming that WorldPride will be moved from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.Unnamed police officials have told the website that the change in venue in very likely to happen, although apparently the "final decision has not (officially) been made yet".The official reason given for moving the parade is that the Jerusalem Police fear that they will not be able to cope with the "size and complexity of the event", the website claims.

12:00 AM — All over the country people remembered the London Bombings.Outside our central London offices, the streets were silent. Cars stopped and observed the silence. Office workers came out of their buildings to stand in solidarity on the streets .As the rain began to spit, we remembered those who had perished underground or in Tavistock square.

12:00 AM — Sharpen your perfectly manicured nails and pour yourself a glass of Moet. The real Footballer's wives are back!For one episode only, Tanya Turner recovers from poisoning, and Amber Gates escapes the mental hospital, to have one last fling with television star Graham Norton.He'll be playing a mysterious hunk, the fabulously named Nigel Spunk, who may or may not be the new signing to Earl's Park.

6th July 2006

12:00 AM — The Times of India has published an extraordinary story today, about the benefits of bisexuality."A few years ago, Angelina Jolie famously said she enjoyed spending time with her female lovers. Though no such high-profile entity has advocated the cause of bisexuality in India, it is a phenomenon that is being talked about," claims the paper.

12:00 AM — In Chicago the controversy over the proposal to define marriage as between one man and one woman takes another twist.The conservative Illinois Family Institute have formally challenged the initial findings of state officials, that the proposal does not have enough valid signatures to make it onto the November 7th ballot.The petition has 345,000 signatures. State law requires that more than 95% of a petition's signatures must be valid in order for it to be processed and eventually end up on the ballot.

12:00 AM — Although Emilio Menendez and Carlos Baturin have been together for 30 years and were the first gay couple to get married in Spain when the law was changed last year, their "family" will not be welcome at the Catholic World Meeting of Families this weekend in Valencia.The Vatican has branded gay marriages an "eclipse of God".Pope Benedict XVI will be visiting the meeting this weekend, and is likely to reiterate the Catholic Church's official views.

12:00 AM — Cassey Weierbach, a 27 year old lesbian from Pennsylvania has been touring the US, speaking in youth groups, churches and medical conferences about her tragic childhood rape and infection with the HIV virus.But Ms Weierbach will have to put her lecture tour on hold while serious allegations that she may not in fact have HIV are investigated.

12:00 AM — Prince Manvendra (from the Royal family of Gujarat in North West India) has officially stated what has been long believed - that he is gay.Indeed, the Prince has never really sought to hide his sexual orientation, producing and staring in the gay film "Emotionally Yours", and setting up an HIV- awareness NGO to educate gay men about the dangers of the disease. This NGO, Lakshya, has solemnized gay "marriages" and is conducting research into acceptance for homosexuality in Holy Scriptures.

12:00 AM — The HSBC tribunal drama continues as the former employee, Peter Lewis, announces his plans to appeal against a judgement that ruled in favour of the bank.Although the tribunal ruled that Mr Lewis had "received less favourable treatment on the grounds of sexual orientation" during the bank's internal investigation into allegations of personal misconduct, it judged that the bank had not dismissed Mr Lewis because of his sexual orientation.

12:00 AM — A publishing company may be required to pay more than £100,000 to an ex employee who claims that he was harassed and then fired for being gay.Jonah Ditton has been awarded £1033 in lost wages by an employment tribunal in Glasgow yesterday, but the details of his compensation are yet to be decided upon.

12:00 AM — Inclusiveness is at the top of the agenda at the Movement for Reform Judaism's biennial conference.The theme for the conference is "counting all of us in", and there will be sessions specifically aimed at gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Jews.Rabbi Roderick Young, who is leading one of these meetings said; "LGBT singles and couples form an important part of the Jewish community."

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